The Holy Kingdom of Cambria
History Originally founded as Cambria several years before the creation of Ostland, this nation has gone through dramatic change all throughout its history. Cambria was created as a unification of the various sentient races of Meredun after the defeat of the various threats upon the land and its people. The dragonmen served a particularly useful role in this regard, and they had a major part in the establishment of a meaningful sovereignty. It existed in its peaceful, diverse state for some time, allied with Ostland and knowing some prosperity for its people (though not to the level of the dwarves to the east). Six hundred years ago, however, a small faction of Cambrians began to grow restless with the current state of affairs for several reasons. First of all, they were tired of seeing their dwarven neighbors enjoy wealth and luxury beyond their own. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the secular government was viewed as the source of many problems in the land, from famines and diseases to a dangerous wilderness and an influx of strange races. This faction began to make themselves known throughout all of Cambria, and they gained support from influential families and authorities. Eventually, these religious dedicates found enough of a following to stage a coup, and the peaceful, secular government was overthrown in a bloody, violent battle. The new regime instituted their own leader, referred to as the Godcaller, and a new nation was born. Ever since this event, the land has been known as The Holy Kingdom of Cambria, and they have been an aggressive nation of priests and zealots. They made war against Ostland, their previous allies, and though the dwarves fought hard, their might was no match for the fervor of a people with a divine mission. The Cambrians have seized almost the entire mainland of Meredun, and their expansion was only recently stemmed when the current Godcaller decided to declare peace. (There is speculation that this only occurred because Ostland has no valuable land left -- only the inhospitable eastern mountains-- but as there has been no official reason given, any theory is just speculation.) Topography The Holy Kingdom is currently the most topographically diverse nation in Meredun. The forests and plains in the north are bordered by the swamps, deserts (Sands of the Triumviri), and mountains of the south, and its economy and demographics are fairly diverse as a result (though nowhere near the level of heterogeneity that Almantiando exhibits). The capital city has only served as such since Cambria’s conversion to a theocracy, and the former capital is now little more than a relic of the old regime. Due to its sheer size and recently fluid borders, it is not difficult for different factions with different interests to spring up throughout the region. There is room for secretive dealings amongst Cambria’s population, but the brutality of the police force borders on legendary, so such undertakings are rarely worth the risk. There are many settlements throughout the country, each with its own regional personality, but the land is relatively unsettled, especially in the south. Citizenry Cambrians are obviously notable for their religious fervor, but they are also known for their hospitality (as long as one meets the criteria for kind treatment). The social circles of the region are rather mixed racially and religiously, though there is little tolerance for those that show no religious affiliation. National law offers no protection to those that are deemed heretics, and local laws often encourage active aggression towards them, always under the guise of evangelism. To those that don’t find any justice in the theocracy, there are small, unorganized movements of dissenters, though as previously mentioned, membership in such a revolutionary movement is incredibly dangerous. There is diversity to be found across the region amongst the different townsfolk, but the one thing that they all share (at least admittedly) is a fervor for the divine that has never been matched in all the history of Meredun. ''Back to Nations ''